Tennessee · Davidson County
What to do when someone dies in Davidson County, Tennessee
Davidson County is home to about 729,505 people. Everything below applies county-wide.
If you cannot afford burial or cremation in Davidson County, call the Metro Nashville Social Services, Adult and Family Support Services first, before signing anything with a funeral home. If the person was a veteran, free burial benefits may cover even more.
Burial/Cremation Services (Burial Assistance)
Metro Nashville Social Services, Adult and Family Support Services
When they answer, say: "I need to apply for burial assistance for a family member." It is okay if you do not have documents ready. They will tell you what to bring.
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Step 1 of 5 · If money is tight
Davidson County burial assistance
Do not sign anything with a funeral home before you call. In many counties, signing first disqualifies the family.
Davidson County program
Burial/Cremation Services (Burial Assistance)
Metro Nashville Social Services, Adult and Family Support Services
Donelson Corporate Centre, 3055 Lebanon Pike, Metro Social Services Building #1, Nashville, TN 37214 (opens in Google Maps)
Official program pageWho qualifies
Metro Social Services coordinates and funds burial for people who did not leave enough resources to cover burial costs. The person who died must have lived in Davidson County, or died there without means to pay, had income at or below 100% of the poverty level, and not left enough assets or life insurance. The closest family member applies first; if none is available, other family, friends or agency representatives may apply.
| Income | Income at or below the monthly limit in the HHS Poverty Income Guidelines at 100% of poverty. No dollar figure is on the page. |
|---|---|
| Assets | The person who died must not have left enough assets or life insurance to cover burial costs. No dollar limit is published. |
| Residency | Lived in Davidson County, or died in Nashville or Davidson County. Persons who died in a state or federal institution or in state or federal custody do not qualify. |
What it covers
Preparation and casket through a funeral home, cremation if the applicant prefers (proof of relationship to the person who died is required), transport within Davidson County, a gravesite in a Metro owned cemetery, grave opening and closing, adult concrete vault, grave marker with name and years, and burial in a Veterans Cemetery if the person qualifies by honorable service. Release of cremated remains is not stated.
Documents to bring
- Proof of relationship to the person who died (required for cremation)
- Verification of honorable military discharge (for Veterans Cemetery burial)
How to apply
Call 615-862-6458 to schedule the required appointment. Applications are taken Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The main office line is 615-862-6400.
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Step 2 of 5 · If they served
Was the person a veteran?
This can replace the county program
You may be able to skip the county program entirely. Veterans can receive a free gravesite, headstone, and perpetual care at a national or state veterans cemetery, plus a VA burial allowance of up to $2,000 for service-connected deaths.
Veteran burial help in Davidson CountyFrom our free tools
Housing costs weighing on the family too?
Check what housing assistance the household may qualify for, including Section 8 vouchers, in a few minutes. Free, no signup.
Check housing help at CheckMyVoucher.com4
Step 4 of 5 · The paperwork
Death certificates in Tennessee
Where copies come from
Certified copies come from the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, or any county health department (official site). Copies are $15 each, with no discount for ordering several. You can walk into any county health department in Tennessee, which is the fastest option, or use the state office in Nashville at 1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower, 710 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243. VitalChek is the only authorized online vendor. To find the record you will need the name, the date of death or a three year range to search, the county of death if you know it, and the spouse's name if there was one.
Order about 10 certified copies. Banks, insurers, Social Security, vehicles, and property will each want one.
Know your rights
Every funeral home must follow these rules
Federal law (the FTC Funeral Rule) protects you. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.
- They must give you prices over the phone. Refusing is a federal violation. Call two or three homes; prices for identical services can differ by thousands on the same street.
- Embalming is rarely required by law. If someone claims it is legally required, ask them to show you the law. Direct cremation and immediate burial never need it.
- You can decline anything in a package. You have the right to an itemized price list and to buy only what you choose.
- You can buy a casket anywhere. The funeral home must accept it without charging a handling fee.
Full rules: the FTC Funeral Rule. If a funeral home breaks them, you can report it to the FTC.
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Step 5 of 5 · If you need more
Beyond the county, more help
Where families find the rest
- Dial 211 for local charities, churches, and county funds with money available right now.
- Ask local churches directly. Many congregations have benevolence funds for funerals even for non-members.
- Ask the funeral home about a payment plan or a simpler package. Direct cremation is usually the lowest-cost professional option, and prices vary widely between providers in the same city.
- Considering a fundraiser? Read crowdfunding a funeral: what works.
- And take care of you. Grief is not a checklist. If you are struggling, call or text 988 (free, 24/7) to talk to someone, and most hospices offer free grief support groups to the whole community, no connection to their patients required.
Right now
The first 48 hours
Nothing else on this page matters until these are done. Everything not on this list can wait, and most of it should.
- 1Get the pronouncement. Hospital or hospice handles it; at home, call 911.
- 2Ask one person to help. Making calls should not all be on you.
- 3Look for written wishes or prepaid arrangements before agreeing to anything.
- 4Money tight? Call the county FIRST. Signing with a funeral home first can disqualify you.
- 5Secure the home, pets, vehicles, and any dependents.
- 6Start one folder for every paper you receive. You will need it constantly.
- 7Banks and insurance can wait. That is week one, not today.
Questions families ask
Straight answers
Who pays for a funeral in Davidson County if the family has no money?
Davidson County's assistance program (Burial/Cremation Services (Burial Assistance)) can cover a basic burial or cremation for families who qualify. Call 615-862-6458 before signing anything with a funeral home.
Does Social Security pay anything when someone dies?
Yes. An eligible surviving spouse or child can claim a one-time $255 lump-sum death payment by calling 1-800-772-1213, and monthly survivor benefits are often available too.
What if the person who died in Davidson County was a veteran?
Veterans may qualify for free burial in a national or state veterans cemetery plus a VA burial allowance, which can matter more than any county program. See our Davidson County veteran page for details.
How many death certificates do I need?
Most families need about 10 certified copies for banks, insurance, and property. In Tennessee, order through the funeral home or the state vital records office.
How much does a funeral usually cost?
A traditional funeral with burial commonly runs $7,000 to $12,000. Direct cremation is usually the lowest-cost professional option, often $700 to $2,000, and prices vary widely between providers in the same area, so it pays to call two or three. Every funeral home must give you prices over the phone under the FTC Funeral Rule.
I have power of attorney. Can I still use it?
No, and this surprises almost everyone: a power of attorney ends the moment the person dies. After death, authority passes to the executor named in the will, or to a court-appointed administrator when there is no will. Funeral decisions belong to the next of kin in the order set by state law, usually spouse first, then adult children, then parents, then siblings.
Nobody had power of attorney. Is that a problem?
For after-death decisions, no. Power of attorney only matters while someone is alive. The next of kin can make funeral decisions right away, and the estate is handled through the will or, without one, through the state's simple next-of-kin rules. See our guide on what happens when there is no will.
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Step 3 of 5 · Money owed to you
The Social Security $255 payment
Who can claim it
A surviving spouse who was living with the person who died, or a spouse or child eligible for benefits on the deceased person's record.
Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or visit a local office. You must apply within 2 years of the death. The funeral home often reports the death to SSA, but the survivor must apply for the payment.
Full guide: the $255 death payment, explained